Vicious Sins (New York Sinners Series Book 1)

44| Witness

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Witness

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Chapter 44: Witness (Tristan's POV)

Something had been off with Amara the entire flight there. In fact, I noticed it almost immediately after we met her Dad. 

He didn't exactly love me and I didn't exactly make the ideal first impression either. But then again, I never got the chance to make that first impression because Mr. Milano had known me long before Amara and I got together. 

It took me a moment to figure it out: 

He doesn't trust me. 

Certainly, he voiced his concerns to Amara, as he should have. 

But now... Amara doesn't trust me. Again. 

She wouldn't tell me what was wrong at first but when she pushed me away at her apartment, I felt myself crumble a little. It felt like everything I was working toward, everything I achieved so far was crushed. Like all the efforts I made to gain her trust were in vain because one comment from someone changed her mind again. 

It was breaking my heart to see her like this and it killed me that she wouldn't trust me. She was fucking breaking my heart.

But I had to remind myself it wasn't just one little comment and it wasn't from a stranger. Her Dad was the most important person in her life and I was okay with being second to that. But I couldn't stand anybody's words, even his, shaking Amara's trust in me. So, Mr. Milano would just have to wait until we returned to start liking me because I would make sure he did. 

The flight was long and exhausting, almost eleven hours, and with a six-hour time difference, I braced myself for jet lag. 

We had just over an hour left to land when Amara woke up, a few minutes after me. Lifting her head off my shoulder and unwrapping her arm from mine, she grabbed it and pulled it around her shoulder, snuggling up against me. "How much longer?" she mumbled sleepily. 

"An hour," I whispered, my lips brushing against her temple, resting there. "We should reach there by three in the afternoon, Sicily time." 

She let out a soft, sleepy chuckle. "Finally figured out where we're going, hmm?" 

"Hmm," I glanced down at her. I realized she wasn't telling me because she was afraid at that moment. Perhaps afraid that I would tell Michael. 

A few minutes went by before she lifted her head and turned to look at me. "Tristan, I'm sorry," she said. 

"For what, Malyshka?" 

Her gaze dropped to my lips briefly. "For not trusting you," she whispered. "I doubted you." 

"It was valid." 

"No," she shook her head, "no, it wasn't. You've done nothing to make me doubt you. You've done everything you could have to gain my trust." 

"I owe it to you." 

Her gaze softened as she met mine. "I didn't say it back," she mumbled in realization. "Before we left my apartment, you said you loved me and I didn't say it back."